5-1502E. Construction--business operating transactions. In a statutory short form power of attorney, the language conferring general authority with respect to "business operating transactions," must be construed to mean that the principal authorizes the agent:
1. To the extent that an agent is permitted by law thus to act for a principal, to discharge and to perform any duty or liability and also to exercise any right, power, privilege or option which the principal has, or claims to have, under any contract of partnership whether the principal is a general or special partner thereunder, to enforce the terms of any such partnership agreement for the protection of the principal, by action, proceeding or otherwise, as the agent shall think to be desirable or necessary, and to defend, submit to alternative dispute resolution, settle or compromise any action or other legal proceeding to which the principal is a party because of his membership in said partnership;
2. To exercise in person or by proxy or to enforce by action, proceeding or otherwise, any right, power, privilege or option which the principal has as the holder of any bond, share, or other instrument of similar character and to defend, submit to alternative dispute resolution, settle or compromise any action or other legal proceeding to which the principal is a party because of any such bond, share, or other instrument of similar character;
3. With respect to any business enterprise which is owned solely by the principal
a. to continue, to modify, to renegotiate, to extend and to terminate any contractual arrangements made with any person, firm, association or corporation whatsoever by or on behalf of the principal with respect thereto prior to the creation of the agency;
b. to determine the policy of such enterprise as to the location of the site or sites to be utilized for its operation, as to the nature and extent of the business to be undertaken by it, as to methods of manufacturing, selling, merchandising, financing, accounting and advertising to be employed in its operation, as to the amount and types of insurance to be carried, as to the mode of securing, compensating and dealing with accountants, attorneys, servants and other agents and employees required for its operation, to agree and to contract, in any manner, and with any person and on any terms, which the agent thinks to be desirable or necessary for effectuating any or all of such decisions of the agent as to policy, and to perform, to rescind, to reform, to release or to modify any such agreement or contract or any other similar agreement or contract made by or on behalf of the principal;
c. to change the name or form of organization under which such business is operated and to enter into such partnership agreement with other persons or to organize such corporation to take over the operation of such business, or any part thereof, as the agent shall think to be desirable or necessary;
d. to demand and to receive all moneys which are, or may become, due to the principal, or which may be claimed by the principal or on his behalf, in the operation of such enterprise, and to control and to disburse such funds in the operation of such enterprise in any way which the agent shall think to be desirable or necessary, to engage in any banking transactions which the agent shall think to be desirable or necessary for effectuating the execution of any of the powers of the agent described in this subdivision;
4. To prepare, to sign, to file and to deliver all reports, compilations of information, returns or other papers with respect to any business operating transaction of the principal, which are required by any governmental agency, department or instrumentality or which the agent shall think to be desirable or necessary for any purpose, and to make any payments with respect thereto;
5. To pay, to compromise or to contest taxes or assessments and to do any act or acts which the agent shall think to be desirable or necessary to protect the principal from illegal or unnecessary taxation, fines, penalties or assessments in connection with his business operations, including power to attempt to recover, in any manner permitted by law, sums paid before or after the creation of the agency as taxes, fines, penalties or assessments;
6. To demand, to receive, to obtain by action, proceeding or otherwise, any money, or other thing of value to which the principal is, or may become, or may claim to be entitled as the proceeds of any business operation of such principal, to conserve, to invest, to disburse or to utilize anything so received for purposes enumerated in this section, and to reimburse the agent for any expenditures properly made by him in the execution of the powers conferred upon him by the statutory short form power of attorney;
7. To execute, to acknowledge, to seal and to deliver any deed, assignment, mortgage, lease, notice, consent, agreement, authorization, check or other instrument which the agent may think useful for the accomplishment of any of the purposes enumerated in this section;
8. To prosecute, to defend, to submit to alternative dispute resolution, to settle, and to propose or to accept a compromise with respect to, any claim existing in favor of, or against, the principal based on or involving any business operating transaction or to intervene in any action or proceeding relating thereto;
9. To hire, to discharge, and to compensate any attorney, accountant, expert witness or other assistant or assistants when the agent shall think such action to be desirable for the proper execution by him of any of the powers described in this section, and for the keeping of needed records thereof; and
10. In general, and in addition to all the specific acts in this section enumerated, to do any other act or acts, which the principal can do through an agent, in connection with any business operated by the principal, which the agent shall think to be desirable or necessary for the furtherance or protection of the interests of the principal.
All powers described in this section 5-1502E of the general obligations law shall be exercisable equally with respect to any business in which the principal is interested at the creation of the agency or in which the principal shall thereafter become interested, and whether operated in the state of New York or elsewhere.
Last modified: February 3, 2019